”When we caught up to her she wasn’t doing very well, so we both helped her back to the surface. She was totally despondent by that point, convinced Daggin was dead… it really wasn’t so funny, I guess. Not that part at least. But what did make me laugh was, the very next moment, Daggin came up over by where Lona had been. He’d found some lavender colored crystal on the bottom of the lake and was going to give it to his sister. He knew she liked pretty things like that, because she made artwork from them. I think he was more surprised than anyone when Lona charged right at him and knocked him down. I think he was in more danger of drowning from that than anything else. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Lona so mad at anyone, before or since. She wouldn’t talk to him for days after.”

Anara was laughing by now, trying hard to keep quiet enough not to wake her children, and Kes, now that she was done telling the story, laughed a little with her also, though she also felt really wistful too, thinking about that time. Until that moment, she hadn’t realized just how much she’d been missing her friends… especially Tae. She remembered they’d both had to pull Lona off of her brother and she’d shrugged them off and stalked away moodily, rebuffing Kes when she’d gone after her to try to calm her down. It took a while, but Lona eventually calmed down and got over it so that a week after it had happened, they’d all been able to laugh about it, even Lona. Though Kes had been sure that, after that, Daggin would surely think twice before doing anything like that again where his sister was concerned.

”I wish I could meet them. Your friends.” Anara said.

”…Maybe you will, one day.” Kes replied.

Anara looked at her with interest, but didn’t say anything. ”Kes…?”

”Yes?” Kes asked.

Anara looked like she was about to say something, but then shook her head. ”You… you have a very sweet laugh.”

Kes smiled at that. ”Thank you…” She said. ”So do you.” She took Anara’s hand in hers and squeezed it a little. ”I… we should sleep now, probably – don’t you think?” She asked.

”I was thinking the same thing.” Anara replied.

”…I… have my bedding now. You… we don’t have to share this cot…” She started to offer, even though sleeping separately from Anara was just about the very last thing she wanted to do in the world right then.

”No… that is… I’d… I’d like it if you’d sleep with me, Kes… I’ve… I’ve missed that. Having someone…” Her words trailed off and she withdrew her hand from Kes’s, looking down at the cot between them. ”If it’s too much to ask though…”

”No! No, of… of course it’s not.” Kes said a little haltingly. Her emotions now feeling very close to the surface. ”I… I enjoyed sleeping next to you, Anara. Very much so.” Kes admitted quietly.

Anara smiled softly to her. ”Good then…” She got up a little and went about undressing for sleep. Kes watched silently for a long moment, swallowing a feeling of nervous anticipation, that and… trying to convince herself repeatedly that kissing this woman wasn’t going to happen for her and that she had to live with that. She sighed and went about undressing herself, casting an occasional glance at Anara as she did.

When she was done, she moved off of the cot to let Anara get in under the blanket, Anara holding the blanket open for her in invitation. Kes swallowed a sudden nervous impulse toward hesitation and got in next to her.

Anara silently welcomed her into her arms before snuggling up to her and holding her close. Kes was only too willing to return the embrace, wrapping her arms around the other woman and moving as close to her as she could, sighing a little in content happiness and closing her eyes.

They didn’t speak, and Kes felt no need to say anything. It was so temptingly easy, in fact, not to think of anything at all and to just let herself fall off to sleep.

———

to be continued